


Meeting the Potters

by FloreatCastellum



Series: Marauder Moments [3]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Family Fluff, Gen, Meet the Family, Meeting the Parents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-09
Updated: 2020-07-09
Packaged: 2021-03-04 18:22:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,559
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25170835
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FloreatCastellum/pseuds/FloreatCastellum
Summary: It's always a risk, introducing your parents to your girlfriend. Most people don't have to worry about whether or not their mother is going to be in handcuffs, though.
Relationships: Euphemia Potter/Fleamont Potter, James Potter/Lily Evans Potter
Series: Marauder Moments [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1474679
Comments: 16
Kudos: 170





	Meeting the Potters

‘Your mum’s been arrested again.' 

James chucked his cloak over the banister with a huff, and Sirius barked with laughter. 'What for now?’ James demanded.

His father puffed on his pipe with a complete lack of concern, leaning against the door to the cupboard under the stairs. 'The demonstration on Diagon Alley last night for…’ he paused, and his brown eyes rose in thought. 'Merpeople rights,’ he said at last. 'Or was it centaurs? I don’t know, some rights for somebody. Actually… might have been over harvesting of wandwood trees. Anyway, they tried to move her along and she put a sticking charm on her feet and refused to budge, and eventually they carried her off under a Magical Public Order Offence and she owled me from the Ministry.' 

Sirius was howling with laughter, but James was looking despairingly at his dad. 'Lily’s coming tonight to meet you both!’ he exclaimed. 'I was hoping not to have to say “my mum’s in prison” for at least a few months yet.' 

'She’s not in prison, they’ll let her go!’ said Dad, a little exasperated. 'At her age - doesn’t look good, arresting old ladies, does it? She’ll be back by this evening, sounds like a jolly good adventure. I’d have gone myself if it wasn’t for my gammy knee.' 

'For who?’ asked Sirius. 'Merpeople or centaurs?' 

Dad shrugged. 'For a good time, I suppose. I did my lot of meaningful protesting back in the day - for the muggleborns, you know. Nowadays I just appreciate a good placard.' 

'You’re both mental,’ said James grumpily as Sirius grinned. 'Please try and hide it at least a little bit.' 

'Certainly not,’ said Dad reproachfully. He looked at Sirius. 'You staying, old boy?’

'Of course,’ said Sirius promptly. 'I’m looking forward to observing it all.' 

James threw him a filthy look. 

'Hard to please, this girl, is she?’ asked Dad, mumbling around his pipe. 

'Impossibly high standards,’ said Sirius. 'He knows he’s doomed.' 

'She’s not got impossibly high standards!’ spluttered James. 'She’s got normal ones, and yet somehow I’m still concerned you lot will fail to meet them.' 

'There’s no need to be nervous, son,’ said Dad sympathetically. 'It’s just dinner.' 

'I’m not nervous!' 

'He’s really nervous,’ said Sirius helpfully. 

James kicked at Sirius, who lazily dodged it. He looked apprehensively at his father. 'Are the last of those Christmas decorations down yet?' 

'It’s Easter,’ said Sirius, in amazed amusement. 

'No, that was your mother’s job, and she’s in a holding cell in the Ministry,’ said Dad. 

'Fucks sake,’ muttered James.

'Oi! Language!’ scolded Dad, frowning sternly. 'He’s a fucking nuisance, isn’t he?’ he said to Sirius, who laughed. 

'I’m going to go and shower and stuff before Mum gets home and dominates the bathroom,’ said James. 'Can someone please take that tinsel down, Sirius is right, it’s nearly Easter.' 

'Your mum likes it, it’s festive,’ said Dad. 

James simply sighed in response, and kicked off his shoes. 'I’ll do it,’ said Sirius. 'If you calm down and stop being so uptight.' 

'I - yeah, thanks. Sorry.' 

'Are you going to use my hair potion for once?’ Dad called as James rumbled up the stairs. 

'No,’ James called exasperatedly back, without breaking pace. He heard his father and Sirius snorting with laughter as he went. 

***

Lily stared very hard at the map before she went, because although she had her licence she was still very nervous when it came to apparating. She appeared in a pleasant, cobbled village, nestled amongst hills, the air still slightly damp with spring rain and the buildings all seeping with old world charm. She liked it very much; it wasn’t as though she had gone expecting it to be horrible, but she hadn’t really thought about it at all, and certainly hadn’t expected it to be so lovely.

Down a little lane flanked with dry stone walls and bordered by meadows with lazy looking cows, over a little stone bridge beneath which ran a pretty, babbling stream, across a quaint market square centred with an obelisk war memorial and bustling with people closing up shops and stalls, past an ancient looking church with stained glass twinkling in the softly dying light, and finally she was heading down Forge Lane, glancing uneasily at the little scrap of parchment James had scrawled his address on in indecipherable handwriting. 

Finally, she was looking up at the house she thought must be his, her hand on the little gate, the rosebushes beside it slightly overgrown, the little closed buds dotting the green with red, the same colour as the front door. She could see movement through the living room window, someone with dark hair walking through the room and vanishing behind a door. Two butterflies, out earlier in the season than one usually saw them, danced merrily in front of the glass. She took a breath, smoothed down her dress, and walked up the cracked stone path to the slate doorstep. 

She knocked, and did not have to wait more than a second before it was wrenched open. She started and blinked slightly in surprise, for James looked slightly panicked - slightly angry. 

'Oh, Lily,’ he said, then suddenly smiled in a slightly forced way. 

'Sorry, I’m a bit early, I… do I have the wrong day?’ she asked, reflecting the tension in his face in an immediate panic that seemed to hug her chest. 

'No, no, I just…’ he poked his head out of the door and looked up the road she had just walked down. 'Come in,’ he said at last, ushering her into the hallway. 'It’s good to see you - how are you? Did you find us all right? It’s-’

'Hello!’ She turned at the sound of a booming, cheerful voice. She had seen this man before, briefly, on platform 9 and ¾ and occasionally in the stands at Gryffindor Quidditch matches. He was instantly recognisable as Mr Potter thanks to his resemblance to his son, down to his golden hazel eyes behind glasses and long nose, and it was clear that his mostly grey hair had once been dark, though it was considerably neater than James’s would ever manage. He took a clay pipe out of his mouth as he approached with a large, loping stride, holding out his hand and beaming at her as he shook it. 'You must be Lily.' 

'Pleased to meet you, Mr Potter,’ she said. A bizarre, stupid thought sprang into her mind: this is what James will look like when we’re old. 

'We’ve heard all about you - my dear, you must have the patience of a saint,’ he said. 

'Er…' 

'Thanks,’ said James shortly. ‘Funny.’

'She doesn’t, not at all,’ came another, surprisingly familiar, voice. Sirius had bounded 

'Oh,’ she said, blinking rapidly in surprise. 'You’re here, too.' 

'He insisted,’ said James darkly.

'Part of the furniture, aren’t you, old boy?’ said Mr Potter grandly, as Sirius, to her great surprise, embraced her. 

'You can’t be mean to me,’ he whispered in her ear, and she could hear his gleeful grin. 'Not in front of Mr and Mrs P. They love me.' 

'Do they know what you’re really like?’ she whispered back as he pulled apart, but he simply winked at her.

‘I’m so sorry my wife isn’t here to welcome you,’ said Monty cheerfully. ‘She’s-’

‘Out,’ said James quickly. 

‘Quite,’ said Mr Potter. ‘Out. Hopefully she’ll be back soon.’ 

‘Hopefully?’ asked Lily, a little alarmed - things were very tense at the moment, with all these Death Eaters running around. 

‘By which I mean hopefully she won’t be much later,’ said Mr Potter smoothly. ‘Come through, come through - no need to stand out here. Now, James tells me you’re a muggleborn - how utterly fascinating.’ 

He placed a hand in the middle of her back and gestured through to a door; when she entered she saw a glittering chandelier, a fine marble fireplace, and the table set for five. 

‘Is your mum all right?’ she whispered to James, as Mr Potter loudly announced he was going to get wine. 

‘Yeah,’ James muttered back. ‘I’m sorry - about both of them, they’re nuts, please don’t-’

‘Mr Potter, could I get a beer?’ Sirius shouted loudly. 

‘Come and get it yourself, boy, I’m not made of hands!’ 

Lily sat hesitantly down at the glossy mahogany table. ‘Your house is so posh,’ she whispered to James. ‘I knew you were a posh boy.’ 

‘Didn’t the accent give it away?’ he said dryly, sitting beside her. ‘But no, it’s not, this is the nicest room. The rest is normal.’ 

‘It’s not, it’s all charming and lovely - like a fairytale cottage.’ 

‘Well, sorry.’ 

‘You should be,’ she said, grinning. He grinned back. 

‘Eugh, look at you two, simpering at each other,’ said Sirius, coming back into the room clutching bottles of beer. ‘Sickening.’ 

‘Why are you here?’ Lily asked. 

‘Live here, don’t I?’ said Sirius. 

‘Do you?’ she asked. She looked at James. ‘Does he?’ 

‘A little bit,’ said James. ‘It’s a long story.’ 

‘It’s not,’ said Sirius. ‘My mum’s a-’ 

‘Tart!’ announced Mr Potter, levitating a dish in. At his warning shout, Sirius ducked out of the way, and it landed neatly in the middle of the table, where Lily could see courgette and red onions. More dishes soon followed, a smorgasbord of food, colourful and fresh and mouthwatering to smell. 

James grabbed some bread, which she could see was still warm by the butter melting on top of it, and Sirius leaned across the table to the chicken. 

‘Eat all that before Effie gets home,’ Mr Potter hastily told him. ‘Dig in, Lily, don’t be shy! Now, tell me - muggles. What do they do for a living?’

Lily told him about her family, though she didn’t think they were particularly interesting even to wizards. Clearly Mr Potter did not agree, for he listened with rapt attention. 

‘Wonderful,’ he said eventually. ‘Wonderful. I do miss working sometimes.’ 

‘What did you do, Mr Potter?’ asked Lily, who thought, even though he seemed to be slightly older than most parents, he seemed young by wizarding standards to have retired. 

‘I was a potioneer, Lily!’ he said proudly. 

‘I love potions!’ she said excitably, so pleased that she might have something in common, something to connect with him on. 

‘So I’ve heard - I hear you’re quite the talent. Well, my finest moment was - have you heard of Sleak-Eazy Hair-’

‘Yes! I use it all the time!’

‘I’m glad someone does!’ he said, throwing a dark look at James, who merely shrugged. 

‘Hello!’ came a shrill, excitable cry. Lily looked up to see a woman entering the room. Her shining, dark hair was in large, glamourous curls, and though her face was clearly wrinkled with age she carried a sophistication and elegance about her than made it clear she had always been a great beauty. She had, Lily noticed immediately, James’s broad beam. Her robes were an explosion of psychedelic flowers. 

‘You must be Lily!’ she cried happily, hurrying over to her. ‘Oh, let me look at you-’

‘Pleased to-’ began Lily, but Mrs Potter was guiding her out of her chair and then taking a step back to examine her, beaming. ‘Oh, you’re so pretty!’ 

‘Mum,’ muttered James, and to Lily’s amusement, she could see he had gone bright red. 

‘She is!’ exclaimed Mrs Potter. She turned and cradled James’s grumpy face. ‘Oh, I’m so glad you’ve brought back someone nice, wouldn’t it have been awful if you’d brought back someone horrible?’ 

‘Stop,’ he said, as Lily laughed. ‘You’re doing this on purpose.’ 

‘Don’t be silly, I’m proud of you,’ said Mrs Potter, kissing her son’s forehead. He did not pull away, but Lily saw his eyes slide to Sirius (who was sniggering), glaring at him. Mrs Potter realised Lily was still standing, and gently seized her by the shoulders. ‘Sit back down, sweetheart, I’m so sorry to be late for dinner, I was-’

‘Out,’ said James, as his mother billowed around the table to sit beside Sirius. 

‘I was arrested,’ she said airily. ‘Getting released took far longer than I expected. So much paperwork…’ 

Lily was grateful she had only raised her glass to her lips, rather than drinking anything she would splutter out. ‘Arrested?’ 

‘Yes,’ said Mrs Potter brightly. ‘I - have you all been eating chicken?’ she asked sharply. 

‘No,’ said James swiftly, covering the remains of the chicken carcass with foil. 

‘What did they give you this time?’ asked Mr Potter, who seemed remarkably unbothered. ‘Caution?’

‘Another fine. Fifty galleons.’ 

He tutted. ‘Well I hope it was worth it, Effie-’

‘It was! Why weren’t you there? Phil was asking after you-’

‘I told you, my knee-’

‘What was it like, Mrs Potter?’ asked Sirius eagerly. ‘Were you in a cell? Did they take you to Azkaban?’ 

‘Of course I didn’t go to Azkaban, don’t be silly! It was one of the little holding cells, it was fine, really, they gave me a blanket and a book to read - they didn’t have any vegetarian food though-’

‘Can someone clarify that mum’s not a criminal?’ said James loudly. 

‘Oh, gosh, I’m sorry!’ Mrs Potter looked over at Lily, who was sitting awkwardly, still clutching her wine glass. ‘It’s nothing bad! I was protesting outside Gringotts - did you know they still use live dragons?’ 

Mr Potter clicked. ‘That was it! Dragons. I thought it was merpeople.’ 

‘No!’ said Mrs Potter waving a hand. ‘That’s next week - I expect you at that one, Monty.’ 

‘My knee,’ he mumbled. He waved his wand and a ruby red glass of wine floated over to his wife; she seized it smoothly, barely glancing at it, still beaming at Lily. 

‘I want to know everything about you,’ she said. 

‘Erm…’ Lily had no idea what to say. It was no surprise, really, that James’s parents were as confident and chatty as he was, but Sirius’s entertained, smirking face was distracting her, and she couldn’t think of a single thing to say. 

‘She was telling me about her parents,’ said Mr Potter eagerly. ‘Her father’s a teacher, Effie, at a muggle school!’ 

‘How extraordinary!’ said Mrs Potter. 

They were so enthusiastic, the both of them. Warm and welcoming and so eager to gently embarrass James - before the meal was over, Mrs Potter had leapt up and hurried to get a photo album, filled with childhood pictures of him. Mr Potter had hurried over to look too, Lily and a furiously red James pressed between them, Lily laughing down happily at the bright, dark haired little boy waving and smiling mischievously at the camera.

‘No,’ snapped James. ‘Not the bath ones - no - Mum - fuck-’

‘Don’t swear!’ she scolded, and then her voice was back to her bright, excited tone. ‘He always did that with the bubbles, I really thought he’d end up growing a beard, but you haven’t yet, have you James? For the best I think - and oh! Ha! Look-’

‘Stop!’ James tried to force the album closed while Lily and Sirius howled with laughter. ‘I knew you two would be like this, this is exactly why I didn’t want-’

‘I don’t know why you’re being so grumpy, it’s so unlike you-’

‘He’s worried we’ll chase you off,’ Mr Potter said to Lily with a wink. 

Quite frankly, thought Lily, as she laughed into the evening, they had done the complete opposite.


End file.
